


In the Wake of the Storm

by Simplistically_content



Series: To Become a Pack... [18]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Episode 310, Episode 311, M/M, Pack Mom/Alpha Stiles, Sarcasm, Stiles trying to keep control, hale pack feels, life generally sucking, sick Cora
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-09
Updated: 2013-09-10
Packaged: 2017-12-26 03:27:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/961042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Simplistically_content/pseuds/Simplistically_content
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles is struggling to keep it together; not only his pack, but himself. He can feel the pressure of being there for everyone getting to him, he can feel the cracks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I realised after I finished writing the second part that I'd kinda joined episode 310 and 311... oops? Hope that's okay with y'all. 
> 
> I'm sorry this update took so long, real life, real work, real life work and all that rot. Also, I've been in a very Supernatural mood lately, rewatching the seasons in my DVD collection :)
> 
> I hope this installment is a good enough apology! When I've written the final part, dedicated to the last episode Lunar Eclipse, I'll do my best not to take a hiatus like the show, I'll write filler fics, explore relationships, be a general pain about it and look forward to January :) Enjoy!

Stiles wasn’t sure how they made it to Derek’s loft, he didn’t know who’s car they took, he didn’t know who drove - he was pretty sure it wasn’t him who’d been driving. He hoped it wasn’t either. He only knew that he didn’t start regaining a sense of self, time and place until he felt Derek’s hands on his cheeks, his voice whispering his name over and over, asking him to focus, to listen to him, as if Stiles was capable of doing anything else at that point.

“Someone’s here,” Scott said as Stiles finished the water he’d been handed. “It’s _her_ ,” he hissed, eyes glowing gold.

Stiles shifted and tried to cross the room to meet her at the door but hands pulled him back, ushering him behind the screen that separated the bathroom of the loft. “We need to be smart about this,” Scott said gently, nodding at Derek when the alpha disappeared. “We need her alive to get your dad back, we have no idea where he is, she’s the only one can give us that information.”

“Scott,” Stiles squeezed his friends hands tightly as they wrapped around him from behind. “I can’t lose him,” he whispered. “Not him too...”

“We’ll get him back, I promise.”

“ _Derek?”_ her voice rang through the entire loft as the door made a grinding metal against metal noise when it opened. “Derek! Where are you?”

“Right here,” the alpha replied and through gaps in the screen, Scott and Stiles saw him step out from behind one of the pillars.

“Oh thank God,” she breathed, rushing over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Something happened at the recital... at the school. Okay? I need to tell you before you hear it - before you hear _any_ of it from them.”

“From who?” he played dumb, giving her a confused expression to sell it.

“From Scott, Stiles... They’re gonna tell you things. Things you can’t believe, you have to trust me, okay? I need you to trust me.” He frowned at her.

“What is it?” The boys couldn’t see her face but they imagined her to look very convincing.

“Just promise you’ll listen to me, okay?” he nodded...

“I promise,” he said softly and couldn’t move back quick enough to stop her from pressing their lips together.

Behind the screen, Stiles snapped, eyes narrowing and he shrugged off Scott’s hands as he stepped around into view, footsteps silent. He caught Derek’s wide eyed look and raised an eyebrow, silently asking if he was going to continue the kiss for the rest of the night. Derek rolled his eyes and gently but _firmly_ pushed Jennifer back. The woman looked up at him, a small frown lining her brow.

“They’re already here, aren’t they?” she asked and Derek stepped back, looking at Stiles and Scott. She turned around and saw them stood there, watching. “So... they told you it was me? That I’m the one taking people?” she lowered her gaze to the floor, trying to make a show of disbelief and confusion, trying to convince Derek.

“We told them you’re the one _killing_ people,” Scott said, eyes flashing gold.

“Oh, that’s right,” she laughed. “Committing human sacrifices? While cutting their throats? Yeah I probably do it on my lunch hour that way I can get back to teaching High School _English_ the rest of the day...” she was laughing, disbelieving, trying to make her case by putting emphasis on how ridiculous they would sound to someone neutral, who knew nothing, but Derek wasn’t neutral and she had yet to realise this. “That makes perfect sense.”

Stiles took a step forward and felt a tear fall from the corner of his eye. He hated to appear so emotional, weak and unstable in front of the enemy but he just couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Where’s my dad?” he asked, voice _almost_ cracking.

“How should I know?” She shrugged the question off as if it didn’t matter to her in the slightest, as if Stiles’ dad’s life meant precisely _nothing_ to her. Which he supposed it didn’t, but it meant the world to him. He tried to take another step forward but Scott’s hand on his arm stopped him from advancing. She turned back to Derek and shook her head in the face of his impassive expression. “Derek,” she said, tone pleading. “Tell me you don’t believe this...”

His eyes flickered back to the boys again and back to Jennifer. “Do you know what happened to Stiles’ father?” he asked.

“No,” she shook her head.

“Ask her why she almost killed Lydia,” Scott prompted and she spun around to stare at him, confusion written all over her face.

“Lydia _Martin?”_ she gasped. “I don’t know anything about that! Is she okay?” Stiles growled low in his throat, Scott’s hand being the only thing still keeping him in position.

“Then what do you know?” Derek snapped, drawing her attention back to him.

“I know,” she took a breath. “That these boys, for whatever misguided reason, are filling your head with these lies and and this absurd story.” She spun around to glare at them pointedly. “And one they can’t prove by the way!”

“You really have no idea who you’re dealing with, do you?” Stiles asked but she didn’t answer as Scott stepped forward, taking something out of his pocket.

“What if we can?” he held up the small bottle.

“What is that?” She asked, stepping back from Derek, a hint of nervousness visible now.

“My boss told me it’s a poison and cure,” Scott explained. “Which means you can use it and it can be used against you...” Her eyes widened.

“ _Mistletoe?”_ she tried to run but Scott threw the contents at her too quickly for her to react and she was stuck, a slave to whatever the mistletoe would reveal. The change was evident, where she stood before now stood a disfigured being, no hair, face scarred beyond all recognition, and just as quickly, it was gone and Jennifer was back, slowly righting herself before trying to make a run for the door, only to come up against Derek’s hand at her throat. “Derek! Wai-Wait!” she cried out. “You need me!”

“What are you?” he growled, hands squeezing, claws digging into the sides of her neck while his other hand was ready to attack.

“The only person who can save your sister! Call Peter-” she gasped, trying to draw breath enough to speak. “Call him!” she insisted.”

Stiles was already pulling out his phone and dialling.

 _“Stiles, they’re getting her ready for transport now-”_ Peter’s voice echoed through the loft as he put the call on speaker.

“How is she doing?” Derek asked, still glaring holes into the side of Jennifer’s head.

 _“Derek? She’s not good,”_ he explained. _“She’s in an out of consciousness, she’s vomiting up black blood along with another anonymous substance...”_

“Mistletoe,” Stiles breathed.

 _“How did you know that?”_ Peter asked but Stiles quickly ended the call as Derek’s grip on her neck tightened and she was lifted from the ground.

“You need me!” she tried to scream but it came out a garbled mess. “Derek! You need me to save her! I’m the only one who can!”

Stiles was suddenly there, hand slowly travelling up Derek’s arm until it was resting on top of the hand around her neck. She stared down at him, pleading.

“You’ll never see him again Stilinski,” she gasped. “He’ll _die_ ,” she sneered. “Just like your mother.” At Stiles’ prompting, the hand squeezed tighter and her eyes widened. “They’ll...” she choked. “They’ll both _die_ ,” she promised, eyes shifting to the side to where Scott stone, face set in stone. “McCall,” she begged.

“They’re my alphas,” he said. “I don’t question them.”

“What makes you think we can’t figure it out?” Stiles asked.

“I cast the spell,” she laughed in his face. “Only I can break it.”

As Stiles released Derek’s hand, Derek’s hand released its hold on Jennifer, letting her drop to the ground.

She looked up at the pair of them and smirked. “You _need_ me alive.”

“And when you’ve outlived your usefulness,” Stiles crouched down in front of her. “I’ll be the one with a way to strip you of everything you’ve ever considered as power.” Her smirk died and Stiles stood up again, backing away with Derek.

“Get up,” Scott was there, glaring down at her.

“You know I’m still your teacher,” she huffed but got to her feet.

“And I’m a werewolf, I bet I know who has the faster reflexes,” he growled, eyes flashing and teeth lengthening. She just rolled her eyes and let herself be manhandled into following the _current_ members of the Hale pack she’d managed to piss off.

“Do you want to take her in your car, I’ll take Scott in mine?” Stiles suggested and Derek raised an eyebrow.

“You trust her with me? After that performance?”

“Well, you won’t kill her, you’d sooner kill her than kiss her... so it’s a pretty safe bet that your virtue will remain safe and she’ll keep her vocal chords long enough for her to tell us what’s going on.”

“You’re putting a lot of faith in my self control...”

“I’m putting my father’s life in your self control,” Stiles replied seriously, not bothering to look as Scott passed them with Jennifer, throwing her unceremoniously into the passenger seat of Derek’s _mom mobile_ \- sorry, his _car_.

“We’ll get him back,” Derek pulled his mate close, burying his nose in Stiles’ neck and breathing in deeply.

“I know,” Stiles whispered and they separated, sharing one last look before engines were started and tyres squealed as they pulled away from the curb.

When they were on the road, Stiles slammed his hand against the steering wheel and beside him, Scott didn’t so much as jump as he turned and waited for whatever Stiles was thinking about to be voiced.

“We’re doing exactly what she wants,” he laughed bitterly. “We need her... she’s running from something, she needs us to protect her.”

“How do you know that?” Scott frowned. “We’ve never had any indication that she was running from anything.”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Stiles asked and went on without waiting for a response he knew his friend didn’t have. “Why would she go back to Derek? She didn’t have to, she knew there was no relationship to be had there, she knew he was with someone, me... she doesn’t love him, doesn’t want him... the only thing she could possibly have for him is a _need_ for his protection, the protection only an alpha could offer. I don’t know what... maybe you were right. Maybe she was an emissary to the alphas, maybe she fucked up and they want her dead... maybe this entire sacrifices _bullshit_ is her trying to come up with a way to break their pack... maybe the alphas are the ones chasing her. All I know... all I _think_ I know is that she needs us and now she has leverage.”

“Cora,” Scott sighed.

“And my dad...”

Neither mentioned how the Sheriff could be a possible sacrifice. Neither wanted to admit it was true.

The night from that point devolved.

 

The alphas _were_ after her, the twins tried to go through the pack to get to her but she disappeared, Cora was still unconscious and Stiles’ world went to shit. His father was gone, his best friend felt like he had no other choice but to go with the enemy, with Deucalion, the _other_ enemy - the one that actually had his dad, and now Melissa, was gone again, his mate was still out for the count and Cora was gone with Peter, Isaac and Allison to safety.

“I’m confused,” he said, leaning back against the wall, Derek’s head in his lap, his fingers working their way through his hand gently. He looked up to see Ethan and Aiden walking towards them in the corridor. “You both are falling for members of my pack, member who, by the way, don’t seem to give two fucks that you’ve basically made it your mission to wipe us all out because, for whatever reason, you’ve buried yourself so deeply into their heads and hearts that they’re falling for you too... you actually apologise to me, an alphas mate, for killing my beta, you go out of your way to protect Danny, to protect Lydia and yet... here you are.”

“She’s trying to kill us,” Ethan’s voice came out as a growl through his teeth and Stiles shrugged, gesturing to his still unconscious mate.

“She has my dad, Scott’s mom, she’s killing Cora, she attacked my mate hell - she _kissed_ my mate. What makes you think you have a monopoly on her?”

“Deucalion,” Aiden, much to Ethan’s surprise, was the one to speak up. “Wants her dead.”

“And why are you here? Now, I mean... they’re gone, everyone’s gone, Blake’s gone...”

“Danny and Lydia,” Ethan sighed.

“Ah... so they _do_ remember that we’re their alphas...” Stiles snorted.

“They’re human, it’s different...” Aiden huffed.

“If Deucalion finds out you’re going soft on your mission, he’ll order you to kill them, and then I’ll be forced to do something drastic to stop you...”

“We’re keeping a low profile...” Ethan muttered, crouching down to examine Derek.

“Not low enough,” Kali was at the end of the corridor and the twins froze, staring at Stiles with wide eyes.

“I’m not a werewolf, I’m just his mate, you should’ve heard her,” he shrugged, seemingly unconcerned with the bitch-alpha’s presence.

“So you’re the mate,” Kali pushed herself between the twins, who backed off. She knelt down so she could reach out and grasp Stiles’ chin, forcing their eyes to meet - as if Stiles would think of deferring to her in any way. “Interesting...”

“I don’t like you,” Stiles said easily and she smiled.

“Not many do,” she hummed.

“You can kill your emissary, _former_ ,” Stiles said. “After I get my dad and Mrs McCall back, and after baby Hale’s cured. I couldn’t give two fucks about what happens to her after that.”

“You’re making demands to _me_?” Kali chuckled.

“I have access to something your dear old alpha demon wolf would very much like to get his claws on...”

“Oh?” she cocked her head to the side. “Unless its name is Jennifer Blake, Derek Hale or Scott McCall, I’m afraid he just isn’t interested...”

“How about Gerard Argent?”

Chris was walking towards them from the right and Stiles smiled at Kali, fingers never stopping their movements in Derek’s hair. The twins were shifting, nervous, behind the older alpha.

“Aren’t you Chris Argent? The son?” Kali purred, releasing Stiles’ chin.

“I am,” Chris stopped a few feet away, his gun aimed at Kali’s head but she seemed unconcerned by the potential danger - or she was just that confident that between the muscle flexing of his finger and the firing pin connecting with the bullet in the chamber, she could move out of the way and avoid the shot. Stiles was curious to see who’d win if he were honest.

“So why would you give him up? Especially knowing what he did to Deucalion?”

“He’s dying,” Chris shrugged. “I have no feelings towards him, neither my daughter nor myself want anything to do with him. Would Deucalion be interested?”

“He did something to you...” Kali turned back to Stiles, who shrugged.

“Would. He. Be. Interested?” Chris repeated shortly, tense and Kali gave him a long look.

“I’d have to ask... but I’m almost certain he’d be intrigued...”

“And my pack?” Stiles prompted.

“Hale and McCall are who we’re after,” she said in a very matter-of-fact tone. “We’re still going to have that battle... but for now, _Jennifer_ will take priority...” She turned around, giving the twins considering looks before walking away. “Do your jobs,” she said before turning the corner.

“I’ll trust you to keep them safe,” Stiles said seriously. “And if that means staying away from them when the time comes...” he stopped speaking, leaving the threat open ended and they nodded stiffly, turning to follow Kali down the corridor.

“Why are you allowed to get his blood on your hands but we’re not?” Derek murmured, sounding very groggy and Stiles rolled his eyes.

“Victim’s wishes trump everything, obviously. Come on sourwolf, we have a pack to wrangle.” He looked up at Chris as Derek got up stiffly, holding his head in one hand.

“Could you do it?” he asked as he stood.

“He broke his own code-”

“That’s not what I asked. He’s your father...”

“If not for his actions, none of this would have happened-”

“Chris...” Stiles sighed, rubbing his eyes with one hand. “Just... be prepared.” He nodded at the hunter once before he and Derek left the corridor, leaving Chris alone with his thoughts.


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second part of the current installment. 
> 
> I know I'm a little behind, like I said before, real life *shrug*
> 
> Now, as you read you'll note where my verse diverts from canon. I have a plan! fear not! It actually might be pretty obvious but I'm sure I can twist it up a bit in the future.
> 
> Enjoy!

“We may have a problem,” Stiles said into his phone as he spied the FBI agent turning away from his conversation and setting off in his direction.

_“No more than we already have?”_ he heard Derek’s gruff response and snorted. _“Isaac walked out after venting all his anger in my direction...”_

“FBI’s in town.”

_“How is that a-”_

“Scott’s Dad... is FBI.”

_“Maybe each fuck up cancels the other out?”_ Derek’s hopeful tone made Stiles snort. _“Just... if you see Isaac...”_

“Oh don’t worry about that puppy, his ass is mine.”

_“I’ll... try and think of something... anything,”_ they shared a sigh.

“Take care of your sister-”

“Stiles,” Scott’s Dad was stood a few feet away and Stiles gave him a blank look.

“Don’t do anything stupid,” he said into the phone. “And don’t let Peter goad you into anything stupid either.”

_“As if he could,”_ Derek snorted.

“I mean it Sourpatch.” he got a gruff reply and the line cut off.

“So... You planning on answering my questions with your usual level of sarcasm?” Agent McCall asked and Stiles gave him a droll look.

“You planning on asking your questions with your usual level of stupid?”

That kind of set the tone for their entire conversation.

\---

_“I did something stupid,”_ Stiles heard through the earpiece of his phone as he walked out of the hospital. _“I said some stupid things. I said some horrible things... I was so angry at him!”_

“I know,” Stiles unlocked the door on his jeep but didn’t open it, just leaned against it, finger and thumb digging into the inside corners of his eyes. “He told me... Isaac, I know you’re angry, I know you don’t know what to do and I know all you want to do is help, but you can’t because no one knows what to do. It isn’t just Derek, I don’t know, the Argent’s don’t know, Scott sure as _hell_ doesn’t know... and yeah, you’re probably gonna have to roll over and bare your neck for Derek to apologise but that’s it, he’ll forgive you, I’ll forgive you... you’re still a teenager, we aren’t exactly gonna fault you for going all emotional, are we?”

_“I know. I know that!”_ he still sounded frustrated and Stiles opened his eyes to see Chris and Allison standing a few feet away, waiting for him to finish. Stiles idly wondered how much they’d heard. _“I can’t just sit around staring at Cora while she’s practically dying in front of me-”_

“Hey,” Stiles snapped, eyes narrowing on the asphalt. “He lost her once before, don’t you _dare_ fault him for wanting to be near her now. I don’t care what misgivings I have about her, she’s his _sister_ , and she’s _pack._ Being close to an injured pack member and caring for it actually _helps_ the healing process and when it can’t help physically it does the job mentally. Either you find something productive to do to _help_ the situation or go back there and help your _alpha_ , got it?”

_“Yes alpha,”_ Isaac breathed, the noise hitching and he tried to hold back his emotions. Stiles held back a groan, immediately regretting being short but being unable to take it back in front of the Argent’s, especially Chris.

“Just... try and do what you think is best right _now_ , okay?”

_“Okay. See you soon.”_ And the line went dead as Stiles thumped the bottom of his fist against the frame of his jeep in frustration.

“Trouble in paradise?” Chris asked but Stiles hadn’t even turned around before he heard a grunt of pain coming from the man, a la Allison. “Sorry,” Chris held his hands up, apologetic. “We need to talk.”

“Yeah,” Stiles sighed, and was soon following them towards their apartment complex, where, once inside, he dropped the bomb about the name being spray painted on the doors of the elevator in the hospital after Chris tried to play off his level of guardianship with regards to the sacrifices.

“I think Morell has something to do with it,” Allison said out of the blue and Stiles frowned at her, waiting for her to go on. “She knows more than she lets on and she might... I don’t know. It seems like she wants to help us.”

“She could be worried that as the last emissary, she’s outliving her worth to Deucalion,” Chris mused.

“Whatever she wants to do to help, she needs to go it a lot faster,” Stiles muttered, sitting down in an armchair. “Seeing as though the lunar eclipse is only two freaking nights away.”

“You can’t give up hope,” Allison said to him, reaching out and resting a hand on his shoulder.

“Whatever she does, it seems like she’s still moving pieces into place, not everything is in play yet,” Chris continued.

“And if the pattern continues, you’re gonna be her next target,” Chris and Allison stared at each other for a few seconds before he turned away and picked up a map from the desk, unfolding it and laying it out flat.

“Then let’s not wait for her to make a move. Stiles, we need your help here, the more minds we have on this, the better.”

“I don’t see why you’re putting yourself at risk like this, you know she’s just going to take you like the others, right? She _wants_ you to go after her, she _wants_ you to play into her hands.”

“I have a 45 that says that won’t be happening anytime soon,” Chris picked up the gun and clipped the magazine into place. “She might heal from a bullet to the leg or a few slashes to the face but I’d like to see how far she’s get with half her skull blown off. Now look, our priority is getting your dad back, and Melissa back-”

“And saving Cora,” Stiles and Allison said together but Chris didn’t comment, just nodded and went on.

“We’ve got a map and everything we need to figure it out - what we don’t have, is time, which is why I need both of you to work _with_ me on this.”

“Fine,” Stiles nodded, standing up. “Where do we start?”

Ideas were thrown about, theories aired and Allison pointed out that Lydia might be their best bet of finding... _something_. After that, things descended into what Stiles could only describe as getting prepared to go to war. He knew the Argent’s were kitted out but this was ridiculous. Assault rifles, fighting knives, throwing knives, handguns, explosives...

“I thought you guys were retired,” he said, staring at the equipment with wide eyes. He was used to guns, he could handle guns, but this was out of his league entirely.

“Retired yes, defenceless, no,” Chris supplied helpfully and Stiles just rolled his eyes. “You need to keep your phone _on._ If you hear from Scott, let us know immediately.”

Stiles pulled his phone out and sighed at the lack of messages from his best friend. “Yeah,” he muttered. “I think that’s kind of unlikely right now. And yes, I know, before you say it, I know he thinks he’s doing the right thing, but I’m still pissed.”

“Of course you are,” Chris’ lips twitched. “You’re his alpha and he ignored a direct order. But he’s well on his way to becoming an alpha himself, you know this...”

“Doesn’t mean I like it.” Stiles absolutely did _not_ sound like a petulant child. He did, however, stiffen as he felt a member of his pack approaching. He turned towards the open door before either Chris or Allison saw Isaac appear from around the frame looking a little lost, nervous but determined.

“I... can’t shoot a gun,” he said; Stiles made it a point in future to teach them all. “Or use a crossbow... but I have these,” he released his claws and held his hand up. “And I’m getting pretty good with them.”

Looking from the outside, Stiles noticed how Allison’s face lit up when Isaac stood there, her dimples showing, her lips smiling though she tried to stifle it. He also noticed how, when Isaac wasn’t trying to _not_ look into Stiles’ eyes, he was checking Allison out, or over, he wasn’t 100% sure but he felt that it warranted further investigation at a later date. Maybe a good long chat.

“Give us a minute?” Stiles asked both Argents, who nodded. Stiles then gestured for Isaac to back out of the room, leading him down the hall to another room for a little chat.

“Stiles-”

“Just,” Stiles cut him off. “Tell me you’re not trying to angst your way away from this pack...” The look of horror on Isaac’s face gave Stiles the answer he wanted but he needed the words.

“Stiles- I’m not, I wouldn’t- _Stiles!”_ he fell to his knees in front of Stiles, hands gripping tightly at Stiles’ shirt, looking up at him, pleading with his eyes as they started to tear up. “I was just angry,” he whispered, broken. “I lost control, I was angry and I lashed out. I didn’t mean- I don’t want to leave! Please don’t make me leave,” the last line was muffled into Stiles’ abdomen as Isaac wrapped himself around Stiles tightly, afraid that if he let go, that Stiles would leave. “I’m sorry,” he repeated over and over, not stopping until Stiles forced his head back so their eyes could meet.

“Isaac,” his tone was gentle, soothing. “I wouldn’t ask you to leave, ever,” he promised. “I just... my priority is my pack, I had to know... I had to make sure... with Scott going off with Deucalion, Lydia and Danny playing hit and miss with the twins. I just, I needed to know for sure. I won’t ask you to leave.” His thumb wiped away the two tears that had leaked from the corner of Isaac’s red-rimmed eyes. “But, I will ask you to apologise to Derek later.”

Isaac was more than happy to agree to that.

\---

_“She’s getting worse,”_ Derek’s voice echoed around the car and Stiles’ grip on the steering wheel tightened as he cursed inwardly, driving fast (but within the speed limit) towards Lydia’s. _“I don’t know what to do,”_ he sounded so defeated it made Stiles want to abandon his mission and go to him, take him in his arms and never let go. _“I can’t think of anything... all I can do is take away her pain-”_

“Don’t go too far with that,” Stiles warned with vehemence. “You know what can happen-”

_“I’ve had it all explained to me, in detail,”_ Stiles frowned at that and remembered that Peter was there too.

“He told you it could save her, didn’t he?” Stiles breathed. “Giving up your status as an alpha... Derek, he’s right, it could, but you can’t do that. If getting Jennifer to end it doesn’t work, we’ll come together as a pack and draw the poison from her ourselves, _together_ , as a pack. You absolutely _cannot_ do this alone.”

_“Stiles-”_

“As your _mate_ , I’m begging you _not_ to do this. Please, Derek...” There was silence on the end of the line and he took a breath. “Our pack is settled, we’re happy, we’re content. We’ve planned for Scott growing into his status, we’ve planned for the twins possibly defecting for Lydia and Danny, we’ve planned for everything... even for a worst case scenario with Cora. But... with everything we’ve planned, it’s been with you as alpha.”

_“Okay,”_ Derek whispered into the phone and Stiles released the breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding. _“I won’t do anything, I swear...”_

“Thank you. And tell Peter to help with the pain leaching, you can’t take too much of it at once.” The call ended quickly after that as Stiles pulled up in front of Lydia’s house.

His conversation with Lydia went about as well as anything else, they found themselves a lead but had to actually work at finding out exactly what it was, with was par for the course Stiles supposed. His day was made ten times worse when he got a text from Isaac in the middle of school as Lydia looked for Aiden, saying that Chris Argent had sacrificed _himself_ to Jennifer.

Stiles felt... he didn’t know what he felt. He felt lost, out of control... he had no idea what was going on, what to do about it - his dad was missing, Scott’s mom, Cora was dying, the twins were AWOL, Derek was considering giving up his powers, Peter’s motives were so far from clear Stiles got headaches from just thinking about it and Scott was MIA. Allison’s dad was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back and he couldn’t deal anymore. His brain was firing, synapses flaring, thoughts running a mile a minute, his chest tightened, the muscles contracting, making it difficult to breath. The sudden lack of oxygen getting into his system was making him feel faint, blurring his vision, making him stumble.

_“Stiles?”_ he heard a voice, _Lydia_ , his mind supplied. _“Stiles what’s wrong?”_ the voice spoke up again and he tried to stop and focus, trying to get a breath while focussing his eyes on her.

“I think I’m having a panic attack,” he admitted, wrongly. He didn’t _think_ , he _knew._ He had painful memories of them, he knew the signs, but he hadn’t had one for years.

He was thankful that Lydia managed to get them into a nearby locker room which was, blissfully, empty and he stumbled into some lockers loudly, sliding down to the floor, trying to draw breath. Trying and trying and trying while listening to Lydia lament about not knowing what to do until she eventually _did_ and then they were kissing.

They were kissing!

She was kissing him! Lydia Martin- _focus!_

His eyes were wide as he stared at her, their lips still connected. His lungs were burning but his mind had gone dark, silent, shell shocked by what was happening. Her eyes were staring back at him, equally wide, looking wild and scared, but she didn’t move until what was probably half a minute (maybe less) later, though it felt like hours, when she slowly moved back, blinking and breaking their stare, moving until she was a few feet away and somehow managing to slump against air.

Then, Stiles realised, he was breathing again. “How... how’d you do that?” he breathed shakily.

“I, uhm...” she pressed her lips together, looking nervous and sheepish. “I read once that... ah... holding your breath could stop a panic attack so... when I kissed you you um... you held your breath.” Stiles was still breathing shakily but at least he was breathing.

“I did?” he asked anyway because the last time he checked, he still had a nose to breathe through _and woah, okay, off topic brain._

“Yeah,” she answered anyway, still nervous, but now more happy that he was okay again.

“Thanks,” he said, slumping back against the metal of the lockers. “That was... that was really smart.”

“I just read it somewhere,” she said after a short laugh. “But... if I was really smart I’d tell you to sign up for a few sessions with the guidance counsellor.”

_Morell_

It was like a switch flipped in his head and he felt his eyes widening with realisation.

Their trip to Morell’s office didn’t reveal Morell, though the woman had a student waiting for her. They realised she was missing so went... _investigating,_ and came up with Lydia inadvertently knowing the answer the entire time, almost the entire _semester_. Her drawing; the tree, wasn’t a tree at all - at least not a full one. It was _roots_.

“The _Nemeton_ ,” Stiles said as they rushed out of the office, closing the door behind them. “It’s gotta be it.”

“Stilinski!” someone shouted and Stiles looked up, growling under his breath when he saw Scott’s Dad gesturing at him. Turning his back, he looked at Lydia intently. “Go to Derek’s. Tell him what we found out. He and Peter have been there before, they’ll know where it is.” She nodded and started to leave until Stiles reached out and caught her arm. “Um... if... Derek happens to... I don’t know... _smell_ , me on you... on your lips, I mean,” Stiles bit his lip. “Tell him I just had a panic attack and you were helping?” She frowned at him.

“Why would I tell him anything different?”

“He can get pretty possessive,” Stiles murmured. She rolled her eyes but nodded and left, leaving Stiles to his FBI induced nightmare.

“Did you know your dad’s car is in the school parking lot and has been since last night?” Stiles did _not_ have time for this crap.

“I saw this morning... what does that mean?” Play dumb.

“It means he’s officially missing.”

The words, even though Stiles knew them to be true, still hit him like a ton of bricks, knocking the air out of his newly relaxed lungs. He was guided into an empty classroom and sighed as he was made to sit at a desk (he sat on top of it) while _Agent McCall_ leaned against the teacher’s desk.

“Stiles, why do I get the feeling you know more about what happened to your dad?”

“If I did, why would I _not_ tell you?”

“If it meant helping your dad, why wouldn’t you?”

“So you’re asking me to tell you what I wouldn’t _not_ tell you?” Sarcasm 1, Scott’s Dad, 0.

“First of all, I have no idea what you just said.” _Boom!_ “Second, why don’t you just help me help you.”

“Well I don’t know how to help you help me tell you something that would help you if I don’t know it.”

“Are you doing this on purpose?” Agent McCall asked, eyes narrowed and Stiles sighed, getting annoyed.

“I don’t know anything, okay? Can I just go?”

“Where are your other friends?”

“You mean Scott? Your son, Scott? That Scott? The son you haven’t talked to in-”

“I mean Scott, Isaac Lahey, Allison Argent, these twins, Ethan and Aiden... I’ve been told your whole little clique didn’t show up at school today.”

Stiles snorted under his breath at the thought. “We’re not a _clique_.”

“There’s been a lot of disturbing activity in Beacon County over the last few months, a lot of it tied to this school. If you know anything...” he stopped talking and waited. “Hey,” he prompted when Stiles looked away. When Stiles continued to be uncooperative he just sighed, standing up. “Fine, but I don’t want you going home alone. Is there someone you can stay with?”

There _was_ , but there’s no way he could tell an FBI agent that his adult boyfriend was his emergency contact after his dad...

“He’s with me.”

Deaton to the rescue.

\---

_“Surrogate what? Are you insane? You just got done telling me now to sacrifice myself for Cora’s sake and you’re going to_ kill _yourself? Stiles!”_ Derek’s voice, even down the phone, was loud enough to make Stiles wince.

“It’s the only thing we can do to save them in time,” Stiles ground out. “The difference between Cora and us is Cora has time. We have none. You need to bring her to Deaton’s where he can keep an eye on her and the rest of us. I need you here, with me. I _need_ you, Derek...” his breath hitched. “I need something to keep me tethered, I need an anchor. I’m your anchor, okay? Please... be mine.”

\---

They’d found Scott, collected Allison, the plan had been explained twice and thrice over for complete clarity and finally, they were ready.

His pack was there, his entire pack. Danny was helping Lydia empty the last of the bags of ice into three baths for Allison, Scott and Stiles. Cora was resting under blankets, comfortably on a sofa in the next room, Peter watching over her intently. Isaac had had an awkward apologetic conversation when Derek first arrived with his family; he hadn’t broken down like he had with Stiles but Stiles still felt how sorry the pup really was. He’d pressed himself against his alpha when Derek gestured for him to do so, allowing Derek to press his alpha teeth sharply against his neck, breaking the skin in a show of dominance in the face of Isaac’s submission. They were alone for that part, of course, Stiles stood at the door of the storeroom they’d commandeered, watching over them with a small smile, reaching out to ruffle Isaac’s hair when they headed his way for the exit. Isaac just flushed, smiling at them both before leaving them to follow at a slower pace.

“Lydia kissed you?” Derek’s eyebrow raised and Stiles elbowed him.

“I was having a panic attack, dufus,” he muttered. “She helped. The kissing was a means to an end...”

“I know,” he was pulled close to Derek’s side as they entered the room with the ice baths and the rest of the pack. “I’m glad she was there for you.”

“Okay then,” Deaton spoke up finally. “What did you bring?”

“I uh,” Stiles began, swallowing away the sudden mouthful of saliva in his mouth. The hand that had been wrapped around Derek’s waist tightened, his fingers flexing against Derek’s shirt nervously. “I brought my dad’s badge. It’s a little beat up, Jennifer... crushed it when she took him. I tried hammering it out but it still looks-”

“It doesn’t matter what it looks like,” Deaton soothed, his eyes calm, understanding. “As long as it holds meaning.” Stiles nodded.

“Is that an actual silver bullet?” Isaac asked, staring down at the item in Allison’s hands. She nodded without looking away from the tiny object.

“Mhmm, when we finish learning all the skills it takes to be a hunter, we each forge a silver bullet as a testament to the code.”

Stiles caught Scott pulling something out of his pocket out the corner of his eyes and waited. “Scott?” Deaton spoke up again.

“My dad got my mom this when she first got hired at the hospital... she used to say it’s the only thing in their marriage that ever worked,” Stiles smiled at that because he’d heard her say the exact same thing many, many times before.

“Okay, the three of you will get in, and each of us will hold you down until you’re essentially... well... dead.”

Derek’s grip on him tightened but Stiles didn’t flinch away.

“Normally, you’d each have one single anchor tieing you back to this world, but in this case, your entire pack is your anchor. Stiles, Derek will hold you under because you’re an established mated pair, your connection to each other is stronger than anyone elses here. Lydia, I want you to keep Allison under. Isaac, you will have one hand on Scott, one on Allison-” Isaac turned to Stiles and Derek, bottom lip already pinned by his teeth, eyebrows furrowed nervously. “This is a pack anchor, Isaac. You are all connected.”

“Are you going to hold Scott down?” Derek asked, frowning.

“I was, but if you feel Isaac would be a safer option for your pack...”

“Could I suggest...?” Stiles spoke up and they gave him the floor. “Scott, me, Allison,” he pointed to each bath. Derek’s holding me down. Isaac, hold down Scott with one hand, put one hand on Derek’s shoulder. Lydia, you and Danny hold down Allison with one hand each; Lyd you put a hand on Derek’s other shoulder, Danny, you put a hand on Lydia’s. Peter, if you bring Cora in here you can hold onto her and Isaac at the same time. Will... would that be okay? Having Cora connected when she’s so sick?” he asked Deaton, who looked thoughtful.

“That would be fine. She’s pack, she’s been accepted by the pack. Any pack contact would only help her healing process.”

“So it’s settled? Everyone’s touching someone else?” Stiles, despite the situation, leered at everyone, breaking the ice and getting snorts of amusement thrown back at him. He felt Derek pull him close, front to front this time, and wrap his arms around him fully, tightly. “Relax sourwolf. We’re gonna be fine.”

“You’re going to _die,_ ” Derek growled into Stiles’ neck. “That is the opposite of _fine_.”

“It’s time,” Deaton prompted and Stiles looked at his mate, expression soft.

“I love you,” he breathed against his mouth.

“As your alpha, I’m ordering you to come back to me,” Derek rumbled gruffly before reluctantly letting go of Stiles so he could get ready.

Outer layers shed, Scott and Stiles stood barefoot only in jeans and a t-shirt each, both holding their respective items of meaning. Allison stood by her own bath in a light slip that looked more like a night dress than anything else but Stiles wasn’t gonna mention it. The silver bullet was clenched tightly in her hand.

At Deaton’s nod, the three of them stepped into the baths, gasping and tensing up when the ice cold water hit them and started to immediately seep through their clothing. It took a while but eventually, they were sat down in their baths, shivering, their pack touching them and each other, offering silent support and in Derek’s case, a heat source (Stiles was totally the lucky one in the whole mix).

“Scott,” Stiles said just before they went under. “I almost forgot to mention... your dad’s in town.” Scott stared at him, looking genuinely shocked to the core. “Yeah,” Stiles made a face and turned away again.

“Fantastic,” Scott breathed and then no one was talking. Deaton held up three fingers.

Stiles, Allison and Scott took deep breaths.

A finger dropped.

Their items were gripped tightly, securely, as though their lives depended on it.

A second finger dropped.

Stiles looked left and saw Scott looking back at him. They shared a smile and a nod and he turned to Allison, who turned to him too. Her smile was slightly shakier, the cold effecting her more, but it was there.

The last finger dropped and they went under.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo.... what do you think??? Pleaseeee let me know! I love the letting me know part. Kudos are awesome, readers thoughts are more informative and helpful though :)
> 
> As I said earlier I have a plan. I have a plan for Scott, Stiles, Derek... Peter... I have one for Cora and the twins too. I'm not gonna promise a speedy next installment because it's September, the beginning of the new academic year and I'm working during freshers so... lots to do!
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it! Links to my tumblr are on the first chapter - come say hi!

**Author's Note:**

> The next part will be uploaded tomorrow eve, or afternoon, depending on how my day goes... What do you think so far?
> 
> Come check me out on tumblr [here](http://simplistically-content.tumblr.com/) and [here](http://scfandomrecs.tumblr.com/)! :D


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